Chapter 75

Rebecca was always nearby. In those brief instances when I had flashes of awareness, her voice was always urging me to rest and heal. At times I was aware of movement, noise, and changes in light, but nothing of substance for a long while. Eventually, I heard voices that I could distinguish, and then words that I could understand. With that understanding came a bit more awareness, at least for short periods.

At one point, I had a beautiful dream about an angel that came to take me to Heaven. She was soft, warm, and gentle, and oh so kind. I felt her tears on my face, as she soothed and comforted me. At times I could hear soft music and the rustle of clothing, but I was unable to connect those sounds to anything solid.

There was one moment when I felt myself lifted, momentarily weightless, and then cool water splashed over me. The coolness, combined with the gentle hands touching me, had a calming effect on me. It brought me unending joy, until I felt myself settled once again in my little cocoon of warmth and darkness.

What must have been days later, I saw my angel once again. She spoke but her words didn't register. I knew I loved her – that she loved me – and I wanted to fly away and be with her forever. She reached for me, and I lifted both arms and drew her near, kissing her lips - thrilled to taste the tongue of an angel. "You're back! You do love me," I cried in my heart, because I had no voice.

She smiled beautifully at me, holding my face gently in her loving hands. I reached for her healing touch, and when I brushed her angelic breasts, I just barely felt heavenly nipples. I yearned to take her nipple into my mouth and drink from the breast of Heaven. When I tried to rise up and suckle, my angel gently lifted my hands away, crooned words of love, and settled me back down. She placed each arm back on the bed, where they stayed of their own accord.

The exertion exhausted me, and once more I slept deeply. Darkness was always near; ready to claim me for a moment, but wanting me forever.

It was much later. The place where I lay was dark, which meant hours and hours had passed. I heard voices, this time much closer, and nearly understandable. "Dr. Temple. Your devotion to this young man is admirable, but he will not be conscious for some time, if ever.

"The work we did was far too invasive to even consider him waking for several more days. We opened him up against everybody's better judgment, and so far he's survived. As you know, his vital signs are very weak and failing. We can only do so much to sustain him. His body wants to live, but his injuries are far too brutal.

"We'll keep him comfortable, but don't get your hopes up. This one is not likely to recover.

"Don't exhaust yourself. We are here around the clock. The Judge was quite explicit about your young patient's care, and we are committed to giving him every possible chance. However, you need to understand; patients don't survive these kinds of brain injuries once, much less twice or three times. It just doesn't happen.

"As difficult as it is, you need to be prepared for him to die, sooner rather than later. His system has been literally tortured by his injuries, and what we've done to keep him alive has taxed him even more.

"We are maintaining right now. That's it. He'll regain consciousness or die. One of the two is certain. What won't happen, unless we are grossly missing something, is for him to linger in a coma.

"Right now Brian is resting comfortably. You need some rest."

That conversation stuck with me, even as I faded out. I knew my body was caving in when the agents swooped in. It was all I could do to stay upright, right up until I couldn't – AGAIN!

My head ached from the newest set of incisions, and I could definitely feel the skin covering my skull attempting to knit back together. Any movement, no matter how slight, caused terrible shooting pain in my head. The level of pain was much worse than either time before. It was clear from their conversation that no one expected me to wake up.

It was uncomfortable to be alert, yet incapable of physical response. The dream angel must have been just that, a pain and drug induced hallucination. Realizing she wasn't real depressed me.

As I faded out, I could hear Rebecca talking to someone, but I couldn't make out any of her words.

Sunlight.

Bright.

Bright sunlight. What a nice change from dark and silent.

I opened my eyes and Rebecca's face swam into my field of vision. She was smiling like we had just finished making excruciatingly beautiful love. I knew that look. I'd seen it before. Rebecca had good news and was just busting to tell it.

"Brian. Brian! Come out come out, wherever you are." She was having fun. That was a good sign. In the background I could sense, but not yet see, others. They too seemed happy, but my eyes wouldn't focus. It was like a veil covered my pupils and anything further than a foot away was too blurry to make out.

"Brian," Rebecca, again, "Guess what, Brain? You made it. You had another bad bleed, and against everybody's expectations, you survived and woke up. Welcome back, darling." She was crying.

"Hey, sweetheart," I knew that voice, but it wouldn't come to me. "You scared us so bad, Jim and I had to fly back from that big boat to stay with you until you came back to us. Thank you for saving my daughter, again. You are our hero, Brian. Thank you for not dying." It was Millie and - I think – I recognized her as the voice of my angel, which means I put my hands where I shouldn't have. Uh-oh...

"Brian I am so glad to see you open those eyes, boy." That was Mr. Bell. Just hearing his voice gave me a shot of energy, and I turned my head just a bit to find him in my field of vision.

That was a big mistake. I heard myself gasp and passed out from the pain.

Hours, or days later, I swam to the surface again. This time it was quite dark, and I thought I was alone. For a little while I checked out my body.

Arms – left and right – check. Wiggle them around a little – check.

Legs – same thing – check.

Hands, finger, toes, feet – all check.

Eyes - open and look around. See what I could see – Check.

Voice? Maybe not – yet. But let's try and see. "Oh my aching head," I said, and heard a squeak,

the crashing of a lapful of 'something, ' and a face appeared in front of me.

"Hey," It was Colleen. "We wondered when you were going to put in another appearance.

"Mommy said you got so aroused, the other day when you tried to undress her, that it knocked you out for days. Then when you woke up and saw Daddy, she thought it scared you back to sleep." I could hear the relief in her voice.

"Did I really try to undress your mother? What in the world was I thinking?"

"Mother told Rebecca and me, but has so far, kept it from Daddy. He might not think it was as funny as we did. Brian, you were so doped up, Mother said you thought you were speaking to some angels, and told them you wanted to suckle at the breast of God. Then you reached up and unbuttoned her blouse, stuck your hand inside, and tweaked her nipples.

"I think you gave the old gal a thrill. Rebecca said the pain drugs, combined with the medications to keep you from moving around, had you completely out of your head. Rebecca might be right, but Mother and I think you're a horn dog and used your condition to cop a cheap feel.

"Either way, you now have another female in love with you. We're going to have to make up a schedule, so you can properly take care of all your admirers.

"Oh, My god, I am so glad to see you awake. Let me call Rebecca and Mother, so she can tell Daddy, and they can all get some sleep. Just knowing you came back to us, will give them relief enough to be able to rest.

"You've been out for ten days. We'll talk about it in a little while. Let me call them." I could hear all of her half of the conversation and most of the other half, and to say they were pleased would be a gross understatement. Rebecca squealed like a thirteen-year-old girl, finding out that her favorite movie star wanted a date with her, and Millie broke down and cried instantly.

Finished with the phone, Colleen put it up and said, "Mother says to rest, and she will see you in the morning. Daddy said to call if you wake up and seem upset, or scared, and he will come and sit with you. Rebecca hung up on me. You'll see her in about fifteen minutes, or less, if I know her." Colleen looked exhausted. I needed to get her to go to bed, and let me take care of myself.

When I suggested it, she gave me the attorney stare, and I instantly caved.

"Tell me," I said. "Tell me what happened after the guys showed up and saved us."

Colleen turned her chair so she was looking straight at me, instead of sitting on my left side.